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A Female Official with a Sword: 4166.1

An image of Drawing
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Alternative views

An image of Drawing
An image of Drawing
Current Location: In storage

Titles

A Female Official with a Sword

Maker(s)

Sunqua (Attributed)

Entities

Categories

Description

A watercolour drawing from the album 4166. This image depicts a young Qing lady in a domestic setting, seated in a wooden chair with a pot of pomegranate plant next to her. The lady wears an elaborate green robe decorated with colourful floral patterns throughout. Over the robe, she has a bright orange hooded cape with blue trim. She carries a sword at her waist. Next to the lady there is a red stand holding a blue pot with a pomegranate plant. The painting is executed in the style typical of Chinese export art from around the late 18th or early 19th century, with careful attention to details in the clothing and furniture. The style combines Chinese painting techniques with elements designed to appeal to Western tastes, particularly in the detailed rendering of the figures' clothing and accessories. Previously described as "official with a sword".

Measurements and weight

Height: 365 mm
Width: 256 mm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1909) by Bothamley, Rev. H.

School or Style

Chinese
Chinese export art
Chinese export watercolour

Materials used in production

Watercolour
Bodycolour
White highlights
Ink

Components of the work

Support composed of pith paper

Techniques used in production

Drawing : Watercolour, bodycolour, and ink with heightening in white, on pith paper, laid down with with strips of blue silk-covered paper

Identification numbers

Accession number: 4166.1
Primary reference Number: 185627

Audit data

Created: Monday 10 October 2011 Updated: Thursday 28 August 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Paintings, Drawings and Prints

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "A Female Official with a Sword" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/185627 Accessed: 2025-12-07 17:12:27

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/185627 |title=A Female Official with a Sword |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-07 17:12:27|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-185627

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<div class="text-center">
    <figure class="figure">
        <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/pdp/pdp82/4166_281_29_201106_amt49_dc2.jpg"
        alt="A Female Official with a Sword"
        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">A Female Official with a Sword</figcaption>
    </figure>
</div>

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